Asian Quinoa Salad

Ok, so I know it looks like all I do is make desserts based on my recent track record of posts, but in reality, I generally am a pretty healthy eater. My roommate and I sign up for Bountiful Baskets each week, and by the end of the week, we are somehow out of all the fruits and vegetables we got at the beginning of the week. Anyway, a few weeks ago, someone gave us 4 cucumbers. Add that to the 3 we already had, and that felt like a lot of cucumbers. I don't really like cucumbers, so I was trying to find a recipe to use them, without making them the feature flavor. I ran across this recipe and decided to try it. It was perfect. The dressing hid the cucumbers well, and there were so many good vegetables in it. The flavors came together just right. This is definitely a keeper. Slightly adapted from twopeasandtheirpod.com.

1 1/2 cup quinoa
3 cups water
2 cup chopped red cabbage
1 cup shelled and cooked edamame
1 red bell pepper, chopped
3/4 cup shredded carrots
1 cup diced cucumber

For the dressing:
1/4 cup soy sauce or tamari sauce
1 tablespoon sesame oil
1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
2 tablespoons chopped green onion
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
1 tablespoon sesame seeds
1/4 teaspoon grated ginger
1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes
Salt and black pepper, to taste

Combine water and quinoa  in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and place a lid on pan. Let cook for about 15-20 minutes, or until water has been absorbed. Turn off heat, remove lid, and fluff up quinoa with a fork.
Add quinoa to the remainder of the salad ingredients. Combine dressing ingredients in a small bowl and whisk to combine. Pour over salad. May serve immediately or refrigerate. 

Basic Macaroni & Cheese

I don't really like macaroni and cheese all that much. That is, except when I get sick or when I am really tired. When I get sick I start to crave processed foods more. Which is why it's weird that I wanted macaroni and cheese earlier this week. I wasn't sick. Well, I decided to make some from scratch and it turned out pretty well. Obviously there are tweaks that you can make to this recipe, but for a starting point, I think this makes a  pretty good recipe.





1/3 cup flour
3 tbs butter
2 cups milk (I used almond)
2-3 cups cheese 
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp chili powder
1/4 tsp pepper
1/8 tsp nutmeg
1 lb. macaroni or other type of pasta (cooked)
1/2 cup bread crumbs

Whisk together flour and butter over medium heat to form a roux. Slowly whisk in the milk. (If lumps form, whisk until smooth.) Add cheese, salt, chili powder, pepper and nutmeg. Once cheese has melted, add cooked macaroni. Pour into a baking dish and top with bread crumbs. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes.

Funeral Potatoes

I know the stereotype of funeral potatoes, but despite that, I really love them. Potatoes, cheese and sour cream. Who wouldn't want that? So healthy. Sort of. Various versions of the recipe are all over the internet and in tons of cookbooks, but this is how I make it.

5-6 potatoes, washed and peeled

1 TBS butter

1 can cream of chicken soup
1 cup sour cream
1 small onion, finely chopped

1 1/2 C cheddar cheese, shredded
1-2 teaspoons salt to taste

Boil potatoes. Let cool, then grate. Set aside. Preheat oven to 350. In a medium saucepan melt butter. Add onions and cook until softened. Add soup, sour cream, onion and salt and let warm once combined. Remove from the heat and stir in the cheese. Don't worry if cheese is not melted all the way. Stir mixture into the potatoes. Pour into a greased 9 x 13-inch baking dish. I think most people sprinkle corn flakes over the top with some butter, but since I don't usually have cornflakes on hand, I just sprinkle with cheese and bake it. Bake for 45 minutes.